Average to above-average rainfall is expected over the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region from January to March 2022, according to the Southern African Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF). In a statement released by the SADC Secretariat, through its SADC Climate Services Centre, SARCOF indicated that the bulk of the SADC region was likely to receive excellent rain during the 2021/22 agricultural season.
Indications are that most of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), northernmost Angola, northernmost Tanzania, northern Mozambique, the bulk of Tanzania, and northern Malawi can expect normal to above-normal rainfall from January to March. The same is likely to happen in northern and western Zambia, the bulk of Angola, south-eastern DRC, the north-western tip of Botswana, northernmost Namibia, the western half of Botswana, central to southern Namibia, western Lesotho and central South Africa.
However, normal to below-normal rainfall is forecast for the south-western tip of Angola, the western fringes of Namibia and south-western South Africa. In the statement, SARCOF said that cyclones and floods were possible during the coming season and advised SADC member states to conduct awareness campaigns and make arrangements for shelter in the areas likely to be affected by flooding.
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